Schrott



Jan. 12, 1960 SCHRQTZ 2,920,356

RELEASABLE LOCKING DEVICE FOR DRAWING MECHANISM OF SPINNING MACHINESFiled A ril 25. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 12, 1960 K. SCHROTZ,2,920,356 RELEASABLE cxmc DEVICE FOR DR NG ANI OF SPINNING MACHINE MECHFiled A ril 25. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENFO/P: Kurt Qckmiu 5- miumll38 MM Jan. 12, 1960 K. SCHROTZ RELEASABLE LOCKING DEVICE FOR DRAWINGMECHANISM OF SPINNING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 25, 1956INVENTO/P u v 1' a a rd *1 TZ ICE F NG M Jan. 12, 1960 K. SCHRORELEASABLE LOCKING D OR DRAWING MECHANISM OF SPI ACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet4 Filed April 25. 1956 Jan. 12, 1960 K. SCHROTZ 2,920,356

4 RELEASABLE LOCKING DEVICE FOR DRAWING MECHANISM OF SPINNING MACHINES 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 25, 1956 INVENI'OQ:

\(ufi Qhmi; mwullssgkku I may be very easily incorporated into drawingmechanisms United States Patent O RELEASABLE LOCKING DEVICE FOR DRAWINGMECHANISM OF SPINNING MACHINES 5 Kurt Schrotz, Fellbach, Germany,assignor to SKF Kugellagerfabriken 'G.m.b.H.,' Schweinfurt, GermanyApplication April 25, 1956, Serial No. 580,643 Claims priority,application Germany April 29, 1955 3 Claims. (Cl. 19-135) The presentinvention relates to spinning machines.

More particularly, the present invention relates to drawing mechanismsfor use with spinning machines and forming a part of the spinningmachines.

With such drawingmechanisms a suitable releasable locking structure isprovided to maintain the top rolls carrying arm of the drawing mechanismin its operating position against the force of the springs which urgethe top rolls downwardly toward the bottom rolls. From time to time itis necessary to turn the top rolls carrying arm from its operatingposition to a rest position turned upwardly away from the operatingposition, and in order to do this it is necessary to release the lockstructure which maintains the top rolls carrying arm in its operatingposition. Conventional lock structures are extremely inconvenient inthis respect, because they require both hands of the operator to efifectthe release of the lock and furthermore it is difficult for the operatorto determine whether or not the top rolls carrying arm is securelylocked in its operating position. Furthermore, these releasable lockdevices of conventional drawing mechanisms are of an extremelycomplicated construction.

One of the objects of the present invention is to overcome the abovedrawbacks by providing a drawing mechanism with a releasable lock devicecapable of releasing the top rolls carrying arm from its operatingposition and locking the top rolls carrying arm in its operatingposition With the use of only one hand of the operator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a releasable lockdevice of the above type capable of being operated by only one hand andat the same time characterized by simplicity of construction and greatreliability in operation.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lock device ofthe above type with a means which lets the operator know that the toprolls carrying arm is securely locked in its operating position.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a releasablelock device of the above type which of conventional construction. I

With the above objects in view the present invention mainly consists ofa drawing mechanism of a spinning machine which includes a stationarysupport member and a top rolls carrying arm turnably carried by thesupport member for movement between an operating position extending overthe drawing plane and a rest position turned upwardly away from theoperating position. This top rolls carrying arm carries a hook meanswhich extends from the arm downwardly toward and is located adjacent thesupport. The stationary support carries a catch means which cooperateswith the hook means for maintaining the arm in its operating position.One of these latter means is movable between a locking and releaseposition with respect to the other of these means, and a spring isprovided for moving this one means between its release and lockingpositions. A manually optionary support 1 extends across and erablebiasing means cooperates with the spring for biasing the same to movethe one means referred to above to its release position when the arm isto be released for movement to its rest position and for biasing thisspring means to move the above mentioned one means to its lockingposition when the top rolls carrying arm is returned from its restposition to its operating position.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a drawing mechanism whichincludes the structure of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scaleof one embodiment of a releasable lock structure according to thepresent invention, the structure of Fig. 2 being shown in the positionit takes when the top rolls carrying arm is released and moved upwardlytoward its rest position;

Fig. 3 shows the structure of Fig. 2 in the position which it takes Fig.4- shows the position which the stiucture of Fig. 3 takes when the toprolls carrying arm is located in its operating position;

Fig. 5 shows the position which the structure of Fig. 2

: takes when the arm starts to be moved by the operator top rollscarrying arm is releasably locked in its operating position;

Fig. 7 shows the position which the structure of Fig. 6 takes just afterthe top rolls carrying arm is released for movement to its restposition;

Fig. 8 illustrates a third embodiment of a releasable lock structureaccording to the present invention, the parts being shown in Fig. 8 inthe position which they take when the top rolls carrying arm is lockedin its operating position;

Fig. 9 shows the position which the structure of Fig. 8 takes when it isset to release the top rolls carrying arm for movement to its restposition; and

Fig. 10' shows the take just before the parts reach the position thereofillustrated in Fig. '8 when the top rolls carrying arm is located in itsoperating position.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows in a longitudinal sectionalview a drawing mechanism or" a spinning machine. The structure shown inFig. 1 includes a stain the form of a bracket having side wallsrespectively formed with aligned openings through which a stationary bar2 extends. The drawing mechanisms are arranged side by side in a bankand the bar 2 extends along the entire length of such a bank of drawingmechanisms. Within the support 1 is located a clamping member which isfixed to the support 1 and which surrounds the bar 2, as shown in Fig.1, this clamp-- 2a the head of which is accessible through an opening inthe rear wall of the stationary support 1, as indicated in Fig. 1, sothat by turning the screw 2a the stationary support 1 is clamped ontothe bar 2.

The stationary support 1 carries a pivot pin 3 which is carried by theopposite side walls during the return of the top rolls carrying 1 arm toits operating position;

position which the parts of Fig. 8

of the stationary support 1. A top rolls carrying arm 4 is pivotallymounted at its right end, as viewed in Fig. 1, on the pivot pin 3 forturning movement between the operating position shown in Fig. 1 wherethe top rolls carrying arm 4 extends over the drawing plane to a restposition where the arm 4 is turned upwardly away from the positionthereof indicated in Fig. 1.

A pair of slide members 5 are located within the top rolls carrying arm4 which has the cross section of an inverted U, and the side members 5engage the underside of the top wall of the arm 4. This top wall of thearm 4 is formed with an elongated slot through which screw members 6pass, these screw members 6 being threadedly connected to the top wallsof the slide members 5. At the outer face of the top wall of the arm 4 apair of nuts are threadedly connected to the free ends of the screwmernbers 6, so that these nuts may fix the slide members 5 in adjustedpositions along the arm 4. A pair of springs 11 are coiled about thescrew members 6 and engage the undersides of the top walls of the slidemembers 5, and a front spring 11 is in direct engagement with theunderside of the top wall of the arm 4. All of these springs 11 pressdownwardly against arms 7 which are pivotally supported at their rightends, as viewed in Fig. 1. The left arm 7 of Fig. 1 is pivotallysupported by the side walls of the top rolls carrying arm 4, While theother two arms 7 are pivotally carried by the slide members 5. The leftfree ends of the arms 7 respectively carry saddle members 8 which engagethe shafts of the top rolls 1!), and springs 9 are connected in aconventional way to the saddles 8 and to the shafts of the top rolls 10for releasably retaining the latter in connection with the saddles. Thetop rolls 10 respectively engage the bottom rolls 13 which are supportedfor turning movement by a stationary frame 12 of the drawing mechanism.

In the embodiment of the invention which is shown in Figs. 1-5, the toprolls carrying arm 4 is covered by an elongated cover member 14 which isof a channelshaped configuration and which has top walls and side wallsspaced from and directed toward the top wall and side walls of the toprolls carrying arm 4. The side walls of the cover member 14 are formedadjacent their right end, as viewed in Fig. 1, with a pair of elongatedslots 15 through which the pivot pin 3 passes, the outer side walls ofthe cover member outer faces of the outer side walls of the stationarysupport 1. Thus, the cover member 14 is not only turnable about thepivot pin 3, but also it is shiftable to the right and left along thepivot pin 3 as a result of the slots 15 through which the pivot pin 3passes. A member 16 is turnable on the pivot pin 3 and has a projectionengaging the right edge of the top wall of the cover member 14, asviewed in Fig. 1. A wire spring 17 is coiled about the pivot pin 3 andhas its free ends in engagement with the member 16 as well as thestationary support 1, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that the member 16urges the cover member 14 to the position indicated in Fig. 1 where thepivot pin 3 is located at the right ends of the slot 15.

The top rolls carrying arm 4 is provided with a hook means which isfixed to and extends downwardly therefrom adjacent the stationarysupport 1. This hook means takes the form of a. pair of members 18respectively formed integrally with and extending downwardly from theside walls of the top rolls carrying arm 4, and the configuration ofeach hook member 18 is shown most clearly in Fig. 2. Thus, the hookmembers 18 have notches 18a formed in the front edges thereof, and thebottom edges of these notches respectively have upwardly extendingprojections 18b. Furthermore, below the projection 1812 the hook member18 has an inclined edge 18c. When the arm 4 is in its operating positionshown in Fig. 1 the members 18 extend along the outer faces of the sidewalls of the stationary support 1.

A catch means is provided to cooperate with the hook 14 extending alongthe means for maintaining the top rolls carrying arm 4 in its operatingposition, and this catch means is movable, in the embodiments of Figs.1-5 as well as Figs. 8-10 to be described below, between a lockingposition cooperating with the hook means for locking the arm 4 in itsoperating position and a release position releasing the hook means torelease the arm 4 for movement to its rest position. In the embodimentof Figs. 1-5, this catch means takes the form of a catch member 19 whichis slidably guided in elongated aligned cutouts formed in the side wallsof the stationary support 1. Adjacent its front edge the catch member 19has a pair of laterally extending projections 19a which cooperate withthe hook members 18 in a manner described below. Furthermore, adjacentits rear edge the catch member 19 is formed with a pair of slots intowhich the bottom free ends of a pair of levers 20 respectively extend,these levers 20 being pivotally carried by the side walls of thesupport 1. Thus, as is evident from Fig. 2, a pivot pin 21 carried bythe support 1 turnably supports the lever 20 which extends along theouter face of the side wall of the support 1, this lever 20 beinglocated between the side wall of the support 1 and the side wall of thecover member 14.

The side walls of the cover member 14 each carry at their inner faces apair of levers 22 and 23, these pairs of levers being located in thespaces between the side walls of the cover member 14 and the side wallsof the support 1 and the arm 4. Thus, as is evident from Fig. 2, a pivotpin 24 which extends between and is carried by the side walls to thecover member 14 turnably supports next to the inner side face of eachside wall the pair of levers 22 and 23 which overlap each other. A wirespring 25 is coiled about the pivot pin 24 and has its free ends inengagement with each pair of levers 22 and 23 to urge the same towardeach other, and the movement of each pair of levers 22 and 23 towardeach other is limited by a stop pin 26 carried by each side wall of thecover member 14 and located between the levers 22 and 23, as indicatedmost clearly in Fig. 2.

The operation of the above described structure will be understood byreferring to Figs. 25. If it is assumed that the arm 4 and cover member14 are being turned back toward their operating position, then duringsuch movement they will have the position shown in Fig. 2 except thatthe cover member 14 will be located closer to the arm 4. It will benoted that in this position of the parts the slots of catch member 19into which the free bottom ends of the levers 20 extend are so shortthat the levers 20 prevent further movement of the member 19 to theleft, as viewed in Fig. 2. Thus, as the cover member 14 and the arm 4turn down toward their operating position, the lower end portions of thehook members 18 will move downwardly alongside of the catch member 19just behind the projections 19a thereof. The edges of the hook members18 will engage the projections 19a and prevent movement of the catchmember 19 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2. As may be seen from Fig. 3,because the catch member 19 cannot move to the right the levers 20remain in the position shown in Fig. 3 and thus the levers 23 engage thelevers 20 and the spring 25 becomes biased to urge each lever 23 in aclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. The levers 22 cannot turn in acounter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, because they engagethe stop pins '26. Thus, when the parts are in this position with thearm 4 and cover member 14 approaching their operating position thesprings 25 are biased to act on the levers 23 to urge the latter to turnthe levers 20 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3 forurging the catch member 19 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 3. When theparts have reached their operating position, the operator presses downon the cover member 14 to move the latter together with the arm 4slightly below their operating position, so that the projections 18b ofthe hook members 13 move slightly beneath the projections 19a. It willbe noted from Fig. 1 that the underside of the top wall of the covermember 14 engages the top ends of the screws 6, so that downwardpressure applied by the operator to the cover member 14 is transferredto the arm 4. As soon as the projections 18b become located slightlybeneath the projections 19a, the spring 25 is free to turn the lever 23in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3, so as to turn the lever20 in a counterclockwise direction and thus shift the catch member 19from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4, and then upon release ofthe cover member 14 the springs 11 urge the arm 4 upwardly so that theprojection 18b becomes located in front of the projection 19a, and thusthe top rolls carrying arm is releasably locked in its operatingposition. The parts are shown in Figs. 1 and 4 in the position whichthey take when they are in the operating position of the drawingmechanism.

If it is now desired to release the arm 4 for movement to its restposition, then the operator simply shifts the cover member 14 to theright, as viewed in Fig. 4, so that it now has the position shown inFig. 5. This movement of the cover member 14 to the right causes thesprings 25 to be biased to turn the levers 22 which engage the levers 20in a counterclockwise direction as indicated in Fig. 5. Now, with thearm 4 in the position of Fig. 5, the operator need only depress thecover member 14 together with the arm 4 slightly in order to locate theprojections 18b beneath the projections 19a, and this action allows thesprings 25 to turn the levers 22 so that'the levers 20 turn in aclockwise direction to shift the catch member 19 from the position ofFig. 5 to that of Fig. 2, and while maintaining the cover member 14 inits rearwardly shifted position shown in Fig. 5, the operator need onlyallow the springs 11 to expand so that the catch member 19 does notcooperate with the hook members 18 and the latter move upwardly beyond.

the catch member 19. Then the operator can easily raise the arm 4together with the cover member 14 to their rest position. As soon as theoperator releases the cover member 14, the spring 17 turns the member 16shown in Fig. 1 to shift the cover member 14 back to its position wherethe pivot pin 3 engages the right ends of the slots 15.

It is apparent from the above description that with the structure of theinvention the operator can very easily lock or release the top rollscarrying arm 4 while using only one hand. The levers 22 and 23 form apair of lever means for cooperating with the lever means 20 to cause thelatter to shift the catch means 19 in the desired direction, and wiresprings 25 form a spring means for biasing the lever means 22 and 23 inthe desired direction. The cover member 14 in addition to serving itsfunction as a cover also acts as a' manually operable biasing meanspermitting the, operator to bias the spring means in the desireddirection. If desired, the catch member 19, for example, may be providedwith an index at one of its side edges or at both of its side edgeswhich cooperates with another index at another side face of a side wallof the support l'in order to visually indicate to the operator when theparts are either locked or released, so that the operator can tell veryquickly and easily whether the arm 4 is securely locked in its operatingposltion.

The embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7differs from that of Figs. 1-5 inthat the support 1 does not carry amovable catch means, and the embodiment of Figs. 6 and 7 also differs infurther member 28 are fixed to the side walls of the arm 4, this member28 is passed through a hook means 27 which has a pair of side hookmembers located next to the inner side faces of the side walls of thearm 4. The side walls of the hook means 27 are formed with openingsthrough which the member 28 passes, and the top respects from theembodiment of Figs. 1-5 as will be apparent from the description whichfollows. In this embodiment of the invention the top rolls carrying arm4 is formed in its top wall with a cutout across which a member 28extends, this member 28 being fixed to the arm 4. The cross member 28has an upwardly bulged top wall of substantially semi-circularconfiguration, as is evident from Fig. 6. Before the ends of the crossWall 270 of the hook means 27 is bulged in correspondence to thecurvature of the top wall of the cross member 28, so that the hook means27 can freely rock on the arm 4, as is evident from Fig. 6. Thetopportion of the hook means 27 is formed as a channel and hasdownwardly extending front and rear walls respectively formed withcutouts 29 and 30 through which the elongated free end portion of theleaf spring 31 passes, the right end of the leaf spring 31, as viewed inFig. 6, being carried by a pin 32 which extends between and is carriedby the opposite side walls of the arm 4.

A lever 33 passes through a cutout in the top wall of 'the arm 4 and ispivotally supported over the leaf spring 31 by a pin 34 which extendsbetween and is carried by the opposite side walls of the arm 4. As isevident from Fig. 6, the bottom end portion of the lever 33 has acamming edge of a configuration which causes the lever 33 to curve theleaf spring 31 downwardly when the lever 33 is turned from the positionof Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 7.

The side walls of the hook means 27 are shaped as hooks at their bottomends and have upwardly extending projections 27a and curved edges 27b.The side walls of the support 1 have curved front edges 1a anddownwardly extending projections which cooperate with the hook means 27to retain the arm 4 in its operating position when the parts have theposition indicated in Fig. 6.

The embodiment of Figs. 6 and 7 operates as follows:

Assuming that the parts have the operating position indicated in Fig. 6and that it is desired to move the arm 4 to its rest position, then theoperator simply turns the lever 33 from the position of Fig. 6 to thatof Fig. 7 so that the spring 31 is curved as indicated in Fig. 7. Whilethe leaf spring 31 is thus curved and the parts still have the positionindicated in Fig. 6, the curvature of the leaf spring 31 causes its leftfree end portion to move upwardly away from the bottom edge of thecutout 29 and causes the leaf spring 31 to press downwardly on thebottom edge of the cutout 30, so that in this position of the parts theleaf spring 31 is biased to turn the hook means 27 in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in Fig. 6, about the curved upper face of the crossmember 28. Thus, when the parts have this position, the operator needonly press downwardly upon the arm 4 in order to move the projection 27abelow the projection of the side walls of the support 1, and then theleaf spring 31 will immediately turn the hook means 27 to the positionof Fig. 7. Now the operator can release the arm 4 and move the sameupwardly to its rest position.

When the operator desires to return the arm 4 to its operating position,he returns the lever 33 from the position of Fig. 7 to that of Fig. 6,and now the leaf spring 31 engages the bottom edges of both cutouts 29and 30 and urges the hook means 27 to a position where it extendsstraight down from the arm 4. Thus, with the parts in this position,when the arm 4 is returned to its operating position, the curved edge271) at each side of the hook means 27 simply rides along the curvededge 1a at each side of the support 1, and thus the hook means 27 isturned against the influence of the spring 31 until the operator pressesdown on the arm 4 to locate the projection 27a just beneath theprojection of the hook portion formed at the front edge of each sidewall of the support 1, and then the spring 31 immediately turns the hookmeans 27 beneath the catch means formed by the front portions of theside walls of the support 1, so that now when the operator releases thearm 4 the lock structure will cooperate so as to have the positionindicated in Fig. 6, and the arm 4 will be securely maintained in itsoperating position against the force of the springs 11 which arecompressed to urge the top rolls downwardly against the bottom rolls.

Thus, with the embodiment of Figs. 6 and 7 the catch means is aftixed toand in fact integral with the support 1 while the hook means is movablewith respect to the arm 4, and the spring means 31 may be biased by themanually operable member 33 so as to urge the hook means either from itslocking position toward its release position or from its releaseposition toward its locking position.

The embodiment of Figs. 8-10 differs from that of Figs. 1-5 only withrespect to the structure which cooperates with the catch means to shiftthe latter between its locking and release positions. Otherwise thestructure of Figs. 8l0 is identical with that of Figs. l-S. Thus,referring to Figs. 8l0, it will be seen that the catch means is in theform of a catch member 38 slidably guided in cutouts formed in theopposite side walls of the support 1, in the same way that the catchmeans 19 is supported for shifting movement. At its front edge, thecatch member 38 has a pair of lateral projections 40 which cooperatewith the hook members 18 in the same way as the lateral projections 19a.Intermediate its ends the catch member 38 is formed with a slot 39 intowhich a pair of leaf springs 35 and 37 extend. These leaf springs 35 and37 extend freely through an elongated cutout formed in the top wall ofthe arm 4, so that the leaf springs 35 and 37 are free to shiftlongitudinally with respect to the arm 4, and the top ends of the leafsprings 35 and 37 are fixed to the underside of the top wall of thecover member 14 by any suitable means such as the rivets indicated inFigs. 8-l0. The side walls of the arm 4 respectively carry pins 36 whichoverlap the spring 35 and are located between the latter and the spring37, although, if desired only one pin 36 may be provided connected toone of the side walls of the arm 4 or a single pin 36 extending betweenand carried by both of the side walls of the arm 4 may be provided. Thebottom free ends of the leaf springs 35 and 37 extend freely into theelongated cutout 39 formed in the catch member 38, and as is evidentfrom Figs. 8-10.

When the arm 4 is secured in its operating position, the parts take theposition indicated in Fig. 8. Assuming now that it is desired to releasethe arm 4 for movement upwardly to its rest position, then the operatorsimply shifts the cover member 14 to the right to the position shown inFig. 9. Inasmuch as the pin 36 is fixed to the arm 4, the rearwardshifting movement of the cover member 14 causes the leaf spring 35 tobecome biased, as indicated in Fig. 9, to urge the catch member 38 tothe left, as viewed in Fig. 9. With the cover member 14 thus shiftedrearwardly as indicated in Fig. 9, the operator slightly depresses thearm 14 together with the arm 4, so as to locate the projections 18bslightly beneath the projections 40, and at this time the spring 35shifts the catch member 38 to the left, so that the projections 4 becomelocated forwardly of the projections 13b, and now, while holding thecover member 14 in its rearwardly shifted position, the springs 11 canexpand to move the projections 18b upwardly beyond and to the rear ofthe catch members 40, so that now the arm 4 is released and may beturned to its rest position. When the operator releases the cover member14, elements 16 and 17 return the cover member 14 to the position wherethe right ends of the slots 15 engage the pivot pin 3. the cover member14 together with the arm 4 are returned to their rest position, thespring 37 enters the cutout 39 and engages the rear edge thereof tobecome biased to shift the catch member 38 to the right back toward itslocking position. However, at this time the inclined edges 1550 of thehook members 18 eng .e the projections 40 of catch member 33 to preventsuch rearward movement of the catch member 38, and thus, as the arm 4returns to its operating position the catch member 38 is prevented fromshifting to the right, as viewed in Fig. 10, and the spring 37 is biasedto urge the catch member 38' to the right. As soon as the projections13b move slightly beneath the projections 40, the spring 37 is freed toshift the catch member 38 to the right, and when the operator nowreleases the cover member 14 the parts again assume the positionindicated in Fig. 8 where the cover member 14 together with the arm 4are securely maintained in their rest position.

It will be noted that with the embodiment of Figs. 81() the cover member14 is actuated by the operator in the same way as the cover member 14 ofthe embodiment of Figs. 15 in order to bias the spring means so as tourge the catch member 38 in the desired direction. The catch member 33may be provided adjacent its rear edge with a pair of outwardlyextending lateral projections which cooperate with lugs extending fromthe side walls of the support It in order to limit the movement of thecatch member 38 to the left to its release position, so as to guaranteethat the cutout 39 will be positioned properly to receive the springs 35and 37 when the parts are returned from their rest position to theiroperating position. Furthermore, the embodiment of Figs. 81() may beprovided with markings as described above in connection with theembodiment of Figs. l-S for visually indicating to the operator when theparts are securely locked in their operating position.

it will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful embodiment in other types ofdrawing mechanisms of spinning machines differing from the typesdescribed above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied inreleasable lock devices for drawing mechanisms of spinning machines, itis not intended to be limited to the details shown, since variousmodifications and structural changes may be made without departing inany way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a drawing and weighting mechanism of a spinning machine, incombination, a stationary support; a top rolls carrying arm turnablycarried by said stationary support for movement between an operatingposition extending over the drawing plane and a rest position turnedupwardly away from said operating position; pressure means in said toprolls carrying arm for applying weighting pressure to said top rolls;hook means carried by said arm for movement therewith and extendingdownwardly therefrom adjacent to said support; a catch means movablycarried by said support for movement between a locking position engagingsaid hook means for maintaining said arm in said operating positionthereof and a release position releasing said hook means to release saidarm for movement from its operating to its rest position; first levermeans turnably carried by said support and engaging said catch means formoving the same between said positions thereof when said first levermeans turns in opposite directions, respectively; an elongated memberextending along said arm and being carried by said support for shiftingmovement longitudinally of said arm between a pair of end positions;second lever means turnably carried by said elongated member andengaging said first lever means when said cover member is in one of itsend positions; third lever means turnably carried by said elongatedmember and engaging said first lever means when said cover memher is inthe other of its end positions; and spring means engaging said secondand third lever means for urging said second lever means to turn saidfirst lever means in one direction when said elongated member is in saidone end position thereof and for urging said third lever means to turnsaid first lever means in an opposite direction when said elongatedmember is in the other of said end positions thereof, saidtop rollscarrying arm being turnable against the action of said pressure meansfor releasing said catch means from pressure exerted by said pressuremeans through said hook means and for thereby enabling said catch meansto move freely into said release position or into said locking positiondepending upon in which direction said catch means are being urged bysaid spring means.

2. In a drawing and weighting mechanism of a spinning machine, incombination, a stationary support; a top rolls carrying arm turnablycarried by said stationary support for movement between an operatingposition extending over the drawing plane and a rest position turnedupwardly away from said operating position; pressure means in said toprolls carrying arm for applying weighting pressure to said top rolls;hook means fixedly carried by said arm for movement therewith andextending downwardly therefrom adjacent to said support; a catch meansmovably carried by said support for movement between a locking positionengaging said hook means for maintaining said arm in said operatingposition thereof and a release position releasing said hook means torelease said arm for movement from its operating to its rest position;first lever means turnably carried by said support and engaging saidcatch means for moving the same between said positions thereof when saidfirst lever means turns in opposite directions, respectively; anelongated cover member extending along and covering said arm and beingcarried by said support for shifting movement longitudinally of said armbetween a pair of end positions; second lever means turnably carried bysaid cover member and engaging said first lever means when said covermember is in one of its end positions; third lever means turnablycarried by said cover member and engaging said first lever means whensaid cover member is in the other of its end positions; and spring meansengaging said second and third lever means for urging said second levermeans to turn said first lever means in one direction when said covermember is in said one end position thereof and for urging said thirdlever means to turn said first lever means in an opposite direction whensaid cover member is in the other of said end positions thereof, saidsecond and third lever means being turnably carried by said cover memberfor turning movement about a common axis, said top rolls carrying armbeing turnable against the action of said pressure means for releasingsaid catch means from pressure exerted by said pressure means throughsaid hook means and for thereby enabling said catch means to move freelyinto said release position or into said locking position depending uponin which direction said catch means are being urged by said springmeans. a I I 3. In a drawing and weighting mechanism of a spinningmachine, in combination, a stationary support; a top rolls carrying armturnably carried by said statinary support for movement between anoperating position extending over the drawing plane and a rest positionturned upwardly away from said operating position; pressure means insaid top rolls carrying arm for applying weighting pressure to said toprolls; hook means fixedly carried by said arm for movement therewith andextending downwardly therefrom adjacent to said support; a catch meansmovably carried by said support for movement between a locking positionengaging said hook means for maintaining said arm in said operatingposition thereof and a release position releasing said hook means torelease said arm for movement from its operating to its rest position;first lever means turnably carried by said support and engaging saidcatch means for moving the same between said positions thereof when saidfirst lever means turns in opposite directions, respectively; anelongated cover member extending along and covering said arm and beingcarried by said support for shifting movement longitudinally of said armbetween a pair of end positions; second lever means turnably carried bysaid cover member and engaging said first lever means when said covermember is in one of its end positions; third lever means turnablycarried by said cover member and engaging said first lever means whensaid cover member is in the other of its end positions; spring meansengaging said second and third lever means for urging said second levermeans to turn said first lever means in one direction when said covermember is in said one end position thereof and for urging said thirdlever means to turn said first lever means in an opposite direction whensaid cover member is in the other of said end positions thereof; andstop means carried by said cover member for movement therewith andlocated between said second and third lever means for engaging saidthird lever means to prevent the same from acting on said first levermeans when said cover member is in said one end position thereof and forengaging said second lever means to prevent the latter from acting onsaid first lever means when said cover member is in said other endposition thereof, said top rolls carrying arm being turnable against theaction of said pressure means for releasing said catch means frompressure exerted by said pressure means through said hook means and forthereby enabling said catch means to move freely into said releaseposition or into said locking position depending upon in which directionsaid catch means are being urged by said spring means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,508,964 Naegeli May 23, 1950 2,525,647 Burnham et al. Oct. 10, 19502,717,426 Noguera Sept. 13, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 711,425 Great BritainJune 30, 1954

